I am writing to ask you to vote against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on Wednesday. I believe that TTIP represents a threat to our democracy by sidestepping our elected domestic and European representatives, handing power to completely non-democratic corporations.

Of particular concern are threats to food safety, employment rights (including minimum wage legislation and the right to join a trade union) environmental and agricultural legislation.

Possibly my major worry is that TTIP would make it very difficult for a future British or English government to halt and reverse the privatisation of our public services, public transport and essential utilities. It’s possible that no future government will want to do that but the decision should be theirs to make in the best interests of Britain, not taken from them by private interests.

I believe that our membership of the European Union is of overall benefit to Britain but it can only remain so if our MEPs vote in the best interests of the people who elected you. The vast majority of people who are aware of TTIP oppose it. A vote against TTIP will demonstrate that you put democracy ahead of private interests.

If we really do need a trade deal let’s start again from scratch and hold the talks in the open, with representation from all of those affected, not just the corporations who stand to gain.